Compare towns
Lewiston vs Wayne vs Biddeford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lewiston has the most affordable homes ($235k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Lewiston | Wayne | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
1,101Lowest |
22,498 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Wayne and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Biddeford and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44 13% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #132 of 133 in ME | — | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | RSU 38 | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | None in town | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 14.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.